The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-25
Thu CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
REV DR.. BRINEY DELIVERS A
DISCOURSE ON ST. PAUL,
Whose Beautiful Figures OF Speech
sparkle Like Diamonds In
the Text Selected.

DR.. Biney, spoke on the text OF st.
Pau, given below. 1, was an excel.
lent discourse. carefully prepared and
impressively delivered, ~ follows, be.
fore large congregation:
"But / say that 90 long as the heir
Is child, he difiereth nothing from
bond eervant, though he is lord Of
all but is under guardians and stew
ards until the term appointed OF the
father. 30 We also, when we were
children, were held in bondage under
the rudiments Of the world; but when
the fullness Of the tins came, God
sent forth His son. born Of a woman,
BORN under the law, that He might re-.
deem them which were under the
law, that We might receive the adop
ton OF sons. And because ye are sons,
God cent forth the spirit OF His SON
into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
SO that thou art no longer q bond ser.
want, but a son; and II a Ton, then
an heir through God."-Gal. iv, II.
Pau WAS nm adept In the use OF
BEAUTIFUL figures. The language Just
cited contains cluster OF them that
sparkle like diamonds. The human
family 10 contemplated az In its non.
age up TO the time Of Christ, who was
born that he might redeem mea from
that which held them In bondage as
servants, and give them the dignity
and freedom OF children OF full age. Be-.
fore the Gospel came both jews and
Gentles were under law such as made
their condition one Of fear and hard.
Bhi >, with much 10 dread and little 10
hope Tor. God then dealt with men
M children, but children uuder age
and subiect to the control OF guar.
dams anu stewards. They were not
then prepared for the law Of liberty
which has now displaced the law OF
bondage. There WAS something bet
ter In store for the peoplewhe man.
kind should attain TO It's majority.
That better something has been real
ized Ia the gospel Of Christ, who came
into the world that he might emanci.
pate men from the condition OF non.
age, and lift them TO the plane Of iu ly
matured manhood, that they might
enjoy the blessings of adoption and
heifship through God. Pior TO that
event the most fAyored Of earth's
children were merely under the
"fudimenis OF the world" This ex.
preston Ia somewhat peculiar. Kos.
mos, here rendered "world," some
times means the world OF kno Wedge.
In the text l think II mean the world
Of spiritual knowledge. Before Christ
the world knew something Il the "ru.
dlments," this elementary principles,
OF the world Of spiritual truth, but IL
remained for CHRIST to bring "life and
immortality TO light through the "a
pei" "You shall know the trutn,"
said Ohiist - that 10, the truth In lis
iuilness-"and the truth shall make
you free"
"rhe Law OF the spirit Of life in
Christ Jesus" says Pau, "has made me
free from the Law Of sin and death. THE
truth that makes free, has been given
10 Us In the form OF law for our GOV
eminent in receiving the sdoptlon OF
sons" The will OF God 10 the law nv
which men are 10 be directed In the
matter OF becoming children Of God.
That We might know His will and
thereby become His children. q I'd has
revealed IL 10 us In the gospel Of His
son. All, therefore, that we have %
do 10 know how 10 become Gods
children snd heirs, 10 20 consult the
gospel that points "the way, the truth
and the life," aud having done THE, Il
only remains for us 10 walk In the
way thus pointed out, to become chill
dren and bein. Becoming Gods
children 10 simply q matter OF know
Ing and doing His will. at you know
thoeo things" says the 4 vior, "hAppy
are yon II you do them"
Having become Code children by
knowing and doing His will, We then.
according 10 lhe tex, have the prom.
leo 4 the Holy Spirit
"Because ye are soma. God sent forth
the B brit Of He con into our hearia"
The mistake is frequently mada OF
6upposlbg that God sends the Holy
spirit into the hears Of men 10 make
them His sons. Attention 90 the
language just cited will correct this
mistake. God makes people Hia chill
dfen through tho gospel, and then,
bccanse they are children, he sends
the npiri, into their hearts 10 comfort
them and help their in6rmities.
The Sirits mission In 10 convict
simon and comfort saints. aud he,
when he Ia come, will convict the
world In respect Of ain, end OF right.
eousnese aud Of judgment" OF the
word here rendered, "convlci," d..
Barnes Gays that II means commonly
10 demonhtrats by argument, 10 prove,
TO persuade anyone TO DO n thing by
presenting rcasons. i hence means
also 10 convince OF anything, and per.
iicularly 10 convince Of crime. This
Ia Ia meaning here" Dr.. Bloomfield
aud other learned agree substantially
with d.. Barnes on this point. The
word seems 10 contain the double sense
ol convincing einners OF the truth OF
this gospel. and Of thereby convict
ing them In their own Indgments
OF sin. This work is done b. IN, aus
VI WV uhths aNuto W. fthu tihh 'ut
spostlee 20 spoke TO the people that
many believed; end Il Ia expressly
stated In the Scriptures that faith
comes by hearing the word Of God.
Toe spi,i, oonvinces and convcts ain.
ne.s through the word Of nth, and
by the iame means points out the
wav OF everlasting life.
When one hears the word OF truth.
believes that Jesus Christ Ia the Son Of
God, and obeys the gospel, thns be.
coming q child OF God, he receives
this spirit 81 tie Lord into his heart a.
bis 10 nior,er and helper lie 10 now
Onrists freoman aud God'- eon, an
heir Of Gld and q Joint heir with
Christ. He IL no, uuder Law, but un.
der grace, and reioioes In the liberty
i l.. A. A. Al. 4.